Family SYRPHIDAE

 

The virtually worldwide family Syrphidae, commonly called flower flies, consist of moderately-sized flies with often striking color patterns. There are approximately 6,000 described species in almost 200 genera. Adults of extant forms are often found hovering around or feeding on flowers. Some are important pollinators of various flowering plants. Larvae occupy diverse habits. Species of Microdontinae are known only from ants nests. Larvae of other subfamilies are either predaceous on other invertebrates, scavengers, or mycophagous or phytophagous. Larvae of some Eristalinae are known to be associated with tree holes and ulcerated wounds making them susceptible to being trapped in resin flows. This may explain the relative frequency of Eristalinae as inclusions in amber.


In addition to the determined forms listed below, Schumann & Wendt (1989: 42) recorded undetermined material of this family from the Miocene Bitterfeld amber deposits of Germany, Wilson (1977) recorded the family from the Middle Eocene deposits of British Columbia (making that material the oldest representative of the family in North America), and Kovalev (1979) recorded what may be the oldest example of the family from the Cretaceous resins of the Taimyr in Siberia.

Ref.: Hull (1945, review of fossil taxa); Vockeroth & Thompson (1989, brief review of fossil taxa).

 

Genus ARCHALIA Hull

ARCHALIA Hull, 1945: 305. Type species: Archalia femorata Hull, 1945, by original designation.

femorata Hull, 1945: 305. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus ARCHISYRPHUS Hull

ARCHISYRPHUS Hull, 1960: 270. Type species: Archisyrphus opacus Hull, 1960, by original designation.

opacus Hull, 1960: 270. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus ASARKINA Macquart

*ASARKINA Macquart, 1842: 77 (1843: 137). Type species: Scaeva rostrata Wiedemann, 1824, by monotypy.
*ASARCINA Agassiz, 1846: 35 (unjustified emendation of Asarkina Macquart). Type species: Scaeva rostrata Wiedemann, 1824, automatic.

quadrata Scudder, 1878c: 752 (Milesia). NE: USA (Eocene) [C].

 

Genus CACOGASTER Hull

CACOGASTER Hull, 1945: 297. Type species: Cacogaster novamaculata Hull, 1945, by original designation.

novamaculatus Hull, 1945: 297. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus CHEILOSIA Meigen

*CHEILOSIA Meigen, 1822: 296. Type species: Syrphus flavipes Panzer, 1798, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 521). [Validated by I.C.Z.N. (1993a: 251).]
*CHILOSIA Agassiz, 1846: 80 (unjustified emendation of Cheilosia Meigen). Type species: Syrphus flavipes Panzer, 1798, automatic.

ampla Scudder, 1878c: 753. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].
bruesi Hull, 1945: 283. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
germanica Hull, 1945: 281. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
hecate Hull, 1945: 277. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
miocenica Cockerell, 1909c: 72. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
nigrachaeta Hull, 1945: 282. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
oligocenica Théobald, 1937a: 353. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
padova Timon-David, 1944: 133. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
picata Statz, 1940: 141. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
pratjei Hull, 1945: 279. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
scudderi Cockerell & LeVeque, 1931: 357. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].
sepultula Cockerell, 1916c: 96. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
spheginascioides Röder, 1980: 4. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus CHEILOSIALELPTA Hull

CHEILOSIALEPTA Hull, 1945: 285. Type species: Cheilosialepta baltica Hull, 1945, by original designation.

baltica Hull, 1945: 286. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus CHRYSOGASTER Meigen

CHRYSOGASTER Meigen, 1800: 32. Suppressed by I.C.Z.N. (1963: 339).
*CHRYSOGASTER Meigen, 1803: 274. Type species: Musca cemiteriorum Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 523).


antiquarius Hull, 1945: 296. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus CRIORHINA Meigen

*CRIORHINA Meigen, 1822: 236. Type species: Syrphus asilicus Fallén, 1816, by subsequent designation of Westwood (1840: 136).
*CRIORRHINA Scudder, 1882: 90 (unjustified emendation of Criorhina Meigen). Type species: Syrphus asilicus Fallén, 1816, automatic.

Unidentified spp.-PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A] (Giebel, 1870: 87; Hull, 1945: 338).

 

Genus EOXYLOTA Hull

EOXYLOTA Hull, 1945: 324. Type species: Xylota pulchra Meunier, 1904, by original designation.

pulchra Meunier, 1904f: 207 (Xylota). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus EPISTROPHE Walker

*EPISTROPHE Walker, 1852b: 242. Type species: Epistrophe conjungens Walker, 1852 [= Syrphus grossulariae Meigen, 1822], by monotypy.

kastenholzi Statz, 1940: 142. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus ERISTALIS Latreille

TUBIFERA Meigen, 1800: 34. Suppressed by I.C.Z.N. (1963: 339).
ELOPHILUS Meigen, 1803: 274. Suppressed by I.C.Z.N. (1993b: 256).
*ERISTALIS Latreille, 1804: 194. Type species: Musca tenax Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Curtis (1832: pl. 432). [Conserved by I.C.Z.N. (1993b: 256).]

lapideus Scudder, 1877a: 756. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].
miocaenicus Stackelberg, 1925: 89 (Tubifera). PA: Russia (Stavropol) (Miocene) [C].
paucisinuatus Théobald, 1937a: 352. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
Unidentified sp.-PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C] (Statz, 1940: 143).

 

Genus HELOPHILUS Fabricius

HELIOPHILUS Meigen, 1803: 273. Suppressed by I.C.Z.N. (1993b: 256).
*HELOPHILUS Fabricius, 1805: 233. Type species: Musca pendula Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Curtis (1832: pl. 429). [Conserved by I.C.Z.N. (1993b: 256).]

primarius Germar, 1837: pl. 25. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
villeneuvi Théobald, 1937a: 351. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus LEUCOZONA Schiner

*LEUCOZONA Schiner, 1860b: 214. Type species: Musca lucorum Linnaeus, 1758, by original designation.
[See Wirth et al. (1965: 563) for details on nomenclatural problems concerning this genus-group name and its type species.]

nigra Hull, 1945: 271. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus LIOMYODIA Evenhuis

DOLIOMYIA Hull, 1945: 330. Type species: Doliomyia chalybea Hull, 1945, by original designation. [Preoccupied by Johannsen, 1924.] New synonymy.
LIOMYODIA Evenhuis, 1994: in this work (new replacement name for Doliomyia Hull). Type species: Doliomyia chalybea Hull, 1945, automatic.

chalybea Hull, 1945: 330 (Doliomyia). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus MEGAXYLOTA Hull

MEGAXYLOTA Hull, 1945: 341. Type species: Megaxylota magnifemur Hull, 1945, by original designation.

magnifemur Hull, 1945: 341. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus MERODON Meigen

*MERODON Meigen, 1803: 274. Type species: Syrphus clavipes Fabricius, 1781, by subsequent designation of Guérin-Méneville in Bory de Saint-Vincent (1826: 446).

germari Heyden, 1862: 78. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus MICRODON Meigen

*MICRODON Meigen, 1803: 275. Type species: Musca mutabilis Linnaeus, 1758, by monotypy.

Unidentified sp.-PA: France (Oligocene) [C] (Serres, 1829: 233; Burmeister, 1832: 639).

 

Genus MYOLEPTA Newman

*MYOLEPTA Newman, 1838: 373. Type species: Musca luteola Gmelin, 1790 [preoccupied, = Thereva dubia Fabricius, 1805], by monotypy.
*MYIOLEPTA Newman, 1841: 226 (unjustified emendation of Myolepta Newman). Type species: Musca luteola Gmelin, 1790[preoccupied, = Thereva dubia Fabricius, 1805], automatic.

Subgenus ARCTOLEPTA Hull

ARCTOLEPTA Hull, 1945: 287 (as genus). Type species: Arctolepta calamitans Hull, 1945, by original designation.

calamitans Hull, 1945: 288 (Arctolepta). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

Subgenus SERICOLEPTA Hull

SERICOLEPTA Hull, 1945: 303 (as genus). Type species: Sericolepta maculata Hull, 1945, by original designation.

maculata Hull, 1945: 304 (Sericolepta). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Unplaced to Subgenus of MYOLEPTA Newman

andreei Hull, 1945: 299. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
elisabethae Statz, 1940: 144. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
germanica Hull, 1945: 300. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
luehei Cockerell, 1910a: 173 [1910b: 155]. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
valida Hull, 1945: 299. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
woteni Hull, 1945: 302. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
Unidentified sp.-NE: USA (Oligocene) [C] (Williston, 1887: 282).

 

Genus PALAEOASCIA Meunier

PALAEOASCIA Meunier, 1893a: ccxlix (1893b: ccxlix). Type species: Palaeoascia uniappendiculata Meunier, 1904, by subsequent monotypy in Meunier (1904f: 203).

atrata Hull, 1945: 309. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
nigra Hull, 1945: 310. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
uniappendiculata Meunier, 1904f: 203. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ssp. brachypennis Hull, 1945: 309. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ssp. obtusa Hull, 1945: 309. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ssp. uniappendiculata s. str. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus PALAEOERISTALIS Hull

PALAEOERISTALIS Hull, 1945: 334. Type species: Palaeoeristalis tesselatus Hull, 1945, by original designation.

tesselatus Hull, 1945: 334. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus PALAEOPIPIZA Meunier

PALAEOPIPIZA Meunier, 1902a: 103. Type species: Palaeopipiza xenos Meunier, 1902, by monotypy.

xenos Meunier, 1902a: 103. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus PALAEOSPHEGINA Meunier

PALAEOSPHEGINA Meunier, 1901a: 71. Type species: Palaeosphegina elegantula Meunier, 1904, by subsequent monotypy in Meunier (1904c: 204).

baccha Hull, 1945: 320. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
elegantula Meunier, 1904f: 204. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ssp. atrox Hull, 1945: 319 (as elegantula variety). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ssp. tristis Hull, 1945: 319. (as elegantula variety) PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ssp. elegantula s. str. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
fumosa Hull, 1945: 321. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
pilosa Hull, 1945: 320. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus PIPIZA Fallén

*PIPIZA Fallén, 1810: 11. Type species: Musca noctiluca Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Curtis (1837: pl. 669).

Subgenus PSEUDOPIPIZA Hull

PSEUDOPIPIZA Hull, 1945: 294. Type species: Pipiza antiqua Hull, 1945, by original designation.

antiqua Hull, 1945: 295. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
europa Hull, 1945: 295. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

Subgenus PIPIZA Fallén

melanderi Hull, 1945: 293. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

Unplaced to Subgenus of PIPIZA Fallén

venilia Heyden, 1870: 260. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus PLATYCHEIRUS Lepeletier & Serville

*PLATYCHEIRUS Lepeletier & Serville in Latreille et al., 1828: 513 (as Syrphus subgenus). Type species: Syrphus scutatus Meigen, 1822, by subsequent designation of Westwood (1840: 137).
*PLATYCHIRUS Agassiz, 1846: 295 (unjustified emendation of Platycheirus Lepeletier & Serville). Type species: Syrphus scutatus Meigen, 1822, automatic.

freyeri Heer, 1849: 244 (Syrphus). PA: Croatia (Miocene) [C].
geminatus Heer, 1849: 245 (Syrphus). PA: Croatia (Miocene) [C].
haidingeri Heer, 1849: 243 (Syrphus). PA: Croatia (Miocene) [C].
infumatus Heer, 1849: 246 (Syrphus). PA: Croatia (Miocene) [C].
lethaeus Melander, 1949: 46. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
persistens Hull, 1938: 116. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus PRAEPTILOCEPHALA Evenhuis

PTILOCEPHALA Hull, 1945: 335. Type species: Ptilocephala volucelloides Hull, 1945, by original designation. [Preoccupied by Rambur, 1866.] New synonymy.
PRAEPTILOCEPHALA Evenhuis, 1994: in this work (new replacement name for Ptilocephala Hull). Type species: Ptilocephala volucelloides Hull, 1945, automatic.

volucelloides Hull, 1945: 337 (Ptilocephala). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus PROTOCHRYSOTOXUM Hull

PROTOCHRYSOTOXUM Hull, 1945: 326. Type species: Protochrysotoxum sphinx Hull, 1945, by original designation.

sphinx Hull, 1945: 326. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus PROTORHINGIA Hull

PROTORHINGIA Hull, 1945: 289. Type species: Protorhingia carpenteri Hull, 1945, by original designation.

carpenteri Hull, 1945: 290. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
magnipennis Hull, 1945: 291. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus PSEUDOSPHEGINA Hull

PSEUDOSPHEGINA Hull, 1945: 313. Type species: Pseudosphegina dichoptica Hull, 1945, by original designation.

carpenteri Hull, 1958: 42. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
dichoptica Hull, 1945: 314. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
withersi Hull, 1945: 315. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus PSILOTA Meigen

*PSILOTA Meigen, 1822: 256. Type species: Psilota anthracina Meigen, 1822, by monotypy.

tabidosa Scudder, 1890: 561. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus RHINGIA Scopoli

*RHINGIA Scopoli, 1763: 358. Type species: Conops rostrata Linnaeus, 1758, by monotypy.

zephyrea Hull, 1945: 292. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus SPHEGINA Meigen

*SPHEGINA Meigen, 1822: 193. Type species: Milesia clunipes Fallén, 1816, by subsequent designation of Westwood (1840: 136).

abrasa Théobald, 1937a: 243. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
obscura Hull, 1945: 323. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus SPHEGINASCIA Meunier

SPHEGINASCIA Meunier, 1901a: 72. Type species: Spheginascia biappendiculata Meunier, 1904, by subsequent monotypy in Meunier (1904f: 205).

biappendiculata Meunier, 1904f: 205. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ssp. biappendiculata s. str. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
ssp. rectinervis Hull, 1945: 323 (as biappendiculata variety). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

 

Genus SPILOMYIA Meigen

TRITONIA Meigen, 1800: 33. Suppressed by I.C.Z.N. (1963: 339). [Preoccupied by Cuvier, 1798.]
*SPILOMYIA Meigen, 1803: 273. Type species: Musca diophthalma Linnaeus, 1758 (as "Syrphus diophthalmus") [misidentification, = Syrphus saltuum Fabricius, 1794], by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 607).

Unidentified sp.-PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C] (Statz, 1940: 144).

 

Genus SYRPHUS Fabricius

*SYRPHUS Fabricius, 1775: 762. Type species: Musca ribesii Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Rondani (1845: 459).

aphidopsidis Cockerell, 1909h: 253. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
bremii Heer, 1864: 394. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
carpenteri Hull, 1945: 262. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
curvipetiolatus Meunier, 1904f: 208. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
eocenicus Cockerell, 1924a: 7. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].
euphemus Heyden, 1870: 262. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
hendersoni James, 1932: 265. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].
lithaphidis Cockerell, 1920a: 253. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].
petrographicus Hull, 1960: 271. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
platychiralis Hull, 1945: 261. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
reciprocus Förster, 1891: 486. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
schellenbergi Heer, 1864: 394. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
statzi Goot, 1964: 220 (new replacement name for aeneus Statz). PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].
aeneus Statz, 1940: 142. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C]. [Preoccupied by Fabricius, 1794.]
willistoni Cockerell, 1909a: 9. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
Unidentified sp.-PA: Italy (Miocene) [C] (Handlirsch, 1907c: 1024).

 

Genus TEMNOSTOMA Lepeletier & Serville

*TEMNOSTOMA Lepeletier & Serville, 1828: 518 (as Milesia Latreille subgenus). Type species: Milesia bombylans Fabricius, 1805, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 612).

sacki Statz, 1940: 145. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C].

 

Genus TROPIDIA Meigen

*TROPIDIA Meigen, 1822: 346. Type species: Eristalis milesiformis Fallén, 1817 [= Musca scitus Harris, 1780], by subsequent designation of Curtis (1832: pl. 401).

tumulata Lewis, 1973a: 488. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
Unidentified sp.-PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A] (Handlirsch, 1907c: 1024; Hull, 1945: 338, 342).
Unidentified sp.-PA: Germany (Oligocene) [C] (Statz, 1940: 143).

 

Genus VOLUCELLA Geoffroy

*VOLUCELLA Geoffroy, 1762: 540. Type species: Musca pellucens Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Curtis (1833: pl. 452). [Validated by I.C.Z.N. (1957a: 85).]

Unidentified spp.-PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A] (Loew, 1850b: 42; Hull, 1945: 336, 338).

 

Genus XYLOTOSYRPHUS Hull

XYLOTOSYRPHUS Hull, 1945: 339. Type species: Xylotosyrphus pulchrafenestra Hull, 1945, by original designation.

pulchrafenestra Hull, 1945: 339. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].